


Heart On Your Sleeve

by TracedInAir



Series: Diakko Week 2020 [5]
Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Diana does her best, F/F, Fluff, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, discussed homophobia, it's vaguely described and there's no slurs or anything but still, technically not long distance but same continuitiy so whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26160949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TracedInAir/pseuds/TracedInAir
Summary: The planned holiday in Japan has arrived, and it's the happiest time of Diana and Akko's lives.Until it isn't.Written for Diakko Week 2020, Day 5 - Hurt/Comfort
Relationships: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Series: Diakko Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1893886
Comments: 20
Kudos: 159





	Heart On Your Sleeve

The pair settled down in front of Diana’s crystal ball.

“I’ve been looking into flights,” Diana said. “Now that we know the term will be ending on Friday the 13th of December, I was thinking Monday 16th would give us ample time to pack and be ready?”

Akko nodded. “Sounds good, yeah!”

“The earliest flight from Heathrow to Tokyo leaves at 7.30 am, and should get us into Tokyo at roughly the same time on the 17th, allowing for the timezone change.” Diana tapped her ball a couple of times and pulled up the flight details.

Akko’s eyes bugged out. “Uhh, that’s not the flight I usually get. One sec.” Akko tapped several options, a sort bar, and ended up with… 

“Akko, what _is_ this?”

Akko’s proposed path contained no less than _four_ flights, beginning in London and stopping in Frankfurt, Istanbul and Taipei before eventually reaching Tokyo, nearly forty-eight hours later, in addition to the nine hour timezone lapse.

“It’s a bit more roundabout,” Akko said, looking awkwardly away from Diana.

“A bit!?”

“I can’t afford the direct flight!” Akko wailed. “It costs nearly a grand! My parents would have to live off boiled rice for a year!”

Diana’s heart broke. Akko had been doing _this_ ridiculous flight path every time she went back and forth from England, for all three years at Luna Nova? She looked at the screen, seeing _‘£352 - Return’_ on it. It certainly was cheaper, at any rate.

“Akko,” Diana started delicately, “you are aware, yes, that I’m somewhat wealthy?”

“Oh,” Akko said, “yeah, that makes sense. You buy the direct flight, I’ll see you when I arrive.”

Diana pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Akko, I meant that I can afford direct tickets for both of us.”

“What!?” Akko fell back, waving her arms as she landed on the floor of Diana’s dorm. “No! I can’t ask you to pay that much for me! It’s fine, I’m used to the other way!”

Diana gently lifted Akko back onto the sofa with her. “You’re a wonderful, ridiculous girl, you know that?” She smiled at Akko, who was still looking panicked at the prospect of Diana spending two thousand pounds on flights. “Would you prefer it if I only offered to pay for your flight above the price of your usual route?”

Akko shook her head. “No, that’s still way too much! Besides, your family’s struggling for money, I can’t have you wasting it on me!”

As if Diana wouldn’t have _‘wasted’_ every last penny for her. “Akko, surely you of all people would understand that ‘money trouble’ for the nobility does not preclude spending a few hundred pounds on flights.” Akko snorted at that. “At least we’re not travelling first class, like my aunt and cousins did on their trip to Brazil last month…” she trailed off bitterly.

Akko rubbed the back of Diana’s hand with her thumb. “If you’re sure.”

“Positive, darling.” Diana tapped back to the direct flight, hovering over ‘Confirm Purchase.’

Akko tapped it for her. “This is the most bougie thing I’ve ever done.”

“I can still cancel the purchase, dear.”

* * *

“What do you mean you _forgot your passport?”_ Diana tried very hard not to scream in the crowded airport foyer.

“I don’t knooooow!” Akko wailed. “I was sure I put it in, I double checked and triple checked like you said! But it’s gooooone!”

“At least you realised _this_ side of security.” Diana grabbed her bag, dragging Akko behind her. “This is why we turned up quite so early, if you were wondering,” she tried not to sound too smug.

Akko’s legs spun as she ran to keep up with her slightly taller girlfriend. Then something fell out of the side pocket of her bag.

They looked down at the ground to see a Japanese passport.

“…I found it.” Akko grinned sheepishly, picking her passport up and placing it back into the front pocket that she’d _sworn_ she’d left it in.

“Would it be so difficult,” Diana groaned, “for you to wait until _after_ the most wonderful holiday of my life before you _kill me via heart attack?”_

* * *

“Wait no, restart, we’re not quite in sync.” Akko tapped the screen on the chair in front again.

Diana sighed. “Akko, I’m really not sure my being one second behind will make all that much difference.”

“It _wiiiiiill,”_ Akko whined. “You’ll be spoiled by my reactions being too early!”

“Haven’t you already seen this film?” Diana said.

“Yeah, and I wanna see how much you love it! So I can’t have it ruined by anything!” Akko said.

“If you insist.” Diana couldn’t help but smile at Akko's excitement.

It took them three more attempts before Akko was satisfied.

Then their screens paused for the safety announcement, and restarted slightly out of sync from each other.

“…Whatever.” Akko folded her arms, glaring at the air stewardesses who were pointing out the safety exits.

Diana placed a hand on Akko’s. “I’m sure I’ll love it anyway.”

She didn’t.

But that was fine.

Akko fell asleep about half an hour into the second film. Diana gently removed Akko’s earbuds, bringing her hand to rest in her hair. “Sleep well,” she whispered, as Akko snuggled towards her, despite the armrest in the way.

* * *

“That went… well,” Diana tried not to sound too nervous.

“You did fine!” Akko said, already unpacking her suitcase. “Although I think Okaa-san might try to kill you if you call her _‘Megumi-sama’_ ever again,” Akko laughed.

Diana flushed. “I simply thought it would be best to show proper respect to your parents, not least because they’re allowing me into their home for two and a half weeks.”

“You could have just asked,” Akko snickered. “When did you get time to look up honorifics anyway?”

“Weren’t you already aware? I know everything.” Diana smiled coyly. “Akko-chan.”

Akko stopped functioning.

“You can’t just _do_ that!” Akko yelled after a moment, flailing her arms and blushing bright red.

“Or would you prefer Akko-hime?” Diana moved behind Akko, kissing the back of her neck gently.

“Stooop.” Akko hid her face in her hands, as Diana continued kissing her, moving around to her cheek. “If you keep this up…”

“Well they _did_ allow us to stay in the same room,” Diana whispered sensuously, kissing behind Akko’s ear.

“Yeah but the walls are _really_ thin.” Akko moved away, clearly flustered. “Besides, _some_ of us don’t live in a manor with dozens of spare rooms.” Diana rolled her eyes. “We were hardly gonna make you sleep on the couch.”

“It was still nice of them,” Diana said.

Akko shrugged. “We’re both eighteen. Besides, if they _really_ tried to make us sleep in separate beds I woulda just booked a-” she trailed off, blushing somehow even brighter.

“Oh?” Diana leaned in, _very_ interested in where that sentence had been going. “Would have booked _what,_ love?”

Akko leapt off the bed. “I’m gonna go help with dinner, bye!”

Diana shook her head gently, chuckling to herself. Akko hadn’t even finished unpacking before running off. The nerve of that girl.

* * *

Diana knelt next to Akko. She was honestly quite excited for this part. Some stereotypes were true, and as a refined English lady, she had quite the taste for tea. So an authentic _tea ceremony_ in Akko’s hometown was like a dream come true.

Akko fidgeted next to her.

“Are you alright?” Diana asked, the picture of grace.

“Yeah,” Akko trailed off. “Sorry, I haven’t done one of these since Obaa-san passed when I was a kid, and I’ve never been the _best_ at sitting still.”

Diana smiled sympathetically. “You should have said. We didn’t have to do this if you didn’t want to.”

“But you were so excited about the tea ceremony!” Akko said. “I can make it through, don’t worry. Besides, Hikase-san makes _the best_ tea, you’ll see.” Akko grinned.

Diana certainly would. Her excitement was growing. They’d completed the initial ceremonies, washing their hands, rinsing their mouths, taking their places on the tatami. Diana had researched extensively, and had practically worn Akko out by repeatedly asking her about each step, making sure she’d got it right.

This was really the kind of thing she could see herself enjoying regularly. Maybe she could see about attending tea ceremonies in England. Were there any? Would it be insensitive of her to go to one? She’d have to ask Akko afterwards.

She was broken from her stream of consciousness by the peal of a bell. Hikase-san entered, bowing to the assembled guests, who returned it. Diana had practiced this kneeling bow _exhaustively._

At long last, the tea was served.

Diana raised it to her lips with relish.

It was at that moment that Diana realised the one critically important detail she had neglected to prepare for.

As it turned out, she didn’t really like matcha tea.

* * *

The train moved without a sound, the sun crested towards mid-afternoon as they headed towards Tokyo for the evening.

And Akko was _still_ laughing at her.

“I can’t believe,” she giggled again, “you went to all that effort to research the proper _bowing etiquette,_ and never thought to even try some matcha before you went to an hour long tea ceremony!”

“It’s really not quite so funny.” Diana sniffed.

“It quite really is.” Akko’s answering laugh was bright and sweet and would have been so much brighter and sweeter if it wasn’t at her expense.

* * *

They were walking through Tokyo’s streets, hand-in-hand, when it happened.

Diana hadn’t even realised, at first, why Akko had flinched. She recognised that some people were shouting, but it was a busy city street, so she hadn’t paid them much attention.

Akko’s head whipped round, red eyes glaring. Diana turned to follow her gaze, and saw a group of men, roughly their age, maybe a little older, shouting things at them.

Diana’s Japanese was passable at best, and she couldn’t pick up much more than “gaijin” and “ashi,” which was _more_ than enough.

The men started walking towards them, shouting all the while.

Akko strode towards them, yelling back in an angry flurry of words she could barely understand. Diana followed after her, still clenching her hand tightly.

She caught another word, “yuri.” She’d heard Akko use that one before, in reference to some slightly more _illicit_ reading material she used to indulge in.

Oh.

Oh _that’s_ what was happening.

It felt like an out of body experience, watching the love of her life scream in the face of a bunch of drunk, loud, _boorish, disgusting, HORRIBLE-_

She cut her train of thought off.

A small part of her brain wondered at how strange it was that this was the first time she could really recall suffering homophobic abuse, considering she’d been dating, no, _loving_ this wonderful woman she was with for nearly two years now. Well, yes, there was that one time the woman in London had made the sign of the cross on her chest at the sight of Diana and Akko holding hands, but they’d both laughed that one off.

This was different.

One of the men put his hand on Diana’s shoulder.

Akko wheeled around, fist already flying.

Diana caught her arm.

“Let’s go home,” she whispered, tears staining her eyes.

Akko deflated.

The men jeered as they left.

* * *

Diana entered Akko’s bedroom, carrying two cups of tea. She gently set one next to Akko’s bed. “I asked your mother to make the matcha,” she said quietly. “I thought it best, all considered.”

Akko grunted in response, still curled in on herself.

Diana sat next to her, her own cup of Assam tea in her hand. She laid a gentle hand on Akko’s shoulder. “It’s alright, they were just a bunch of drunken hooligans.”

“It’s not,” Akko murmured.

Diana rubbed her shoulder.

“It’s not alright,” Akko continued, “because they’re not the only ones like that, are they?”

Diana sighed in response. “No, they’re not.”

“How many others, do you reckon?” Akko said. “How many people, _today alone,_ do you think saw us and were disgusted? Japan was,” her voice broke, “meant to be a place where I felt safe.”

Diana didn’t answer.

“Or what about back in England? No one says shit in Blytonbury cause the town relies on Luna Nova, but I _bet_ there’s dozens, _hundreds_ just like them there, who’d be _just like them_ if they thought they could get away with it.”

“Probably,” Diana conceded, “but I don’t care about them. I love you, and if the entire world shunned me for it, I wouldn’t care.”

“I know, and I know I _shouldn’t_ care but all I can think of is like,” Akko blubbed, tears covering her face and the pillow, “how many regulars at the shop would hate me if they knew I’m in love with a woman? How many people that I’ve known for years, who have always been nothing but kind and friendly, would treat me like I was _dirt_ just because I’m so _fucking_ in love with you that it _hurts.”_

Diana wrapped her arms around Akko, teacup forgotten on the bedside table, pulling her in tightly.

“It’s so stupid!” Akko yelled. “No one would care if you were Damian Cavendish! No one would give a _shit_ if you were a boy, so why does it matter?”

DIana held her close, so close that she knew it must hurt a bit. “Do you… do you ever wish…?”

Akko rolled over, and Diana could see how soaked her face was from crying, the fire burning in sparkling red eyes. _“Never._ Do you hear me? Not for one _second._ I’d put up with a thousand days like today for you. A million. When I told my parents I was dating a girl, I was _fully prepared_ to never see them again if they disapproved.”

Diana’s eyes widened in shock. She thought of the enormity of cutting her own mother out so easily as that, if it had been possible. Not that she would have, her mother always spoke well of Cousin Rufus and his husband, but still, even the _thought_ of it… 

“But they didn’t,” Diana whispered. “They still love you, just like I do.”

“But then I think,” Akko took a shaky breath in, “what if Obaa-san was still around? Would she approve? Or would she pretend to, but make occasional snide comments about great-grandchildren?”

Diana sighed. “You’ll never know. I’ve always believed my mother would have loved you, but I’ll never truly be able to know.”

Akko stilled. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

“It’s alright.” Diana gently ran her fingers through Akko’s hair. “It’s not something we can control, Akko. I’ve- well I suppose I’ve always known I didn’t like boys,” she said. “When I realised what that meant, I knew that it would always mean some people would hate me, and there was nothing I could do about it. I suppose I thought of it as similar to how some would always dislike my interest in magic.”

“They’re not the same,” Akko said, “I didn’t _choose_ to like girls, I just did.”

“And could you have stopped yourself from loving magic, even if you’d wanted to?” Diana smiled.

“Nah, but it would have been easier than stopping myself from loving you.” Akko leaned in for a soft kiss. Diana tasted salt, but she didn’t care.

“I would find it easier to halt the sun’s rise than to halt what my heart feels for you, Akko.” Diana kissed her again.

“Oh, are we one-upping each other with cheesy lines about how gay we are? Cause I can go _forever_ in _two languages.”_ Akko grinned.

“Forever, now that’s a nice word.” Diana entwined her fingers with hers.

“…OK you win.”

* * *

They went out for another date the next day. And the day after. Diana could tell Akko was still nervous, but that same determination that carried her through the rest of her life was back in force and it wasn’t about to let anyone or anything get in the way of their holiday.

On Saturday, Akko had to help with the shop. Her parents had graciously agreed to give her a few more days off since Diana was here, but the Christmas rush was brutal, especially at the weekend.

Diana offered to help out, but her hosts just shooed her away, with _maybe_ a comment or two about her Japanese needing a little more work. And her people skills, Akko had added.

So now she was alone in Akko’s room, reading one of the novels she’d packed for just this situation. Or she had been. She was now looking around Akko’s room.

It was _very_ Akko. She’d seen the room in countless video calls by now, and Akko moved around carrying her crystal so much she probably could have painted the whole place by memory, but there was something _intimate_ about seeing the one place that best reflected the heart of the girl she loved.

Obviously there was Shiny Chariot merchandise all over the room. Posters, figurines, plush toys, all in the likeness of Chariot or Alcor or the Shiny Rod. She examined one small plastic figure of Chariot doing a pose on top of the Shiny Balai, and basked in the warmth of the memory of her own time on it with Akko.

But there was one other thing that dominated the room to almost the same extent as Chariot, and it was a more recent development.

There were photos of the two of them _everywhere._ There were several plastered around Akko’s desk, along with a few pictures of Akko goofing off with Amanda or Lotte or Sucy, and one particularly cute one of her and Constanze with a tiny mechanical robot that looked kind of like the one in that film Akko had made her watch on the plane.

But that was hardly the end of it. Every inch of space of Akko’s wall that wasn’t filled with a poster had a corkboard or similar, covered with pictures of her and Diana together. Or separately. Diana had no idea where Akko had acquired the photo of Diana performing her summoning at Samhain, but here it was, sitting right next to a photo of Akko doing bunny ears behind her head.

Diana preferred the latter photo by some margin.

How was it even possible to be in love with a person as she was with Akko?

* * *

The day Diana had been waiting for rolled around.

Christmas Eve.

She was going to make this the best day of Akko’s entire life.

Diana spared no expense in the preparation. She’d extensively questioned Akko’s parents on Akko’s favourite spots in Chiba, favourite restaurants that opened on Christmas Eve, favourite places to get snacks from, everything.

Unfortunately, Akko had made similar preparations.

And in their efforts to surprise the other, they’d double booked almost the entire day.

The snacks hadn’t been too difficult, a quick dash between shops left them comfortably walking in Akko’s favourite park, Diana holding a container of black pearl bubble tea—which she had come to love—and Akko with a triple-stacked _ice cream cone_ of all things, in _December._

The restaurants were slightly more of an issue, especially since Akko had paid _out of her own pocket_ to reserve a table at one of the fanciest restaurants in Chiba for dinner, which was a far cry from the fast food burger joint that Diana had been assured was Akko’s favourite.

Diana had steadfastly refused to even set foot inside unless Akko agreed to let her pay her half of the meal, and even that had to be argued down from Diana paying for the whole meal, the tip—which she had been informed was unnecessary and even rude to leave in Japan—and paying Akko back for the reservation.

The food _was_ very good though. Akko had nearly cried at the taste of her noodle broth to start, and then _did_ cry at the strips of tender, rare steak for the main course.

Diana’s pork curry was simply _divine,_ but she had to grudgingly admit, when Akko offered a trade, that the beef dish was possibly even nicer. Not that Akko was going to share any more.

* * *

They sat on a bench, overlooking the city. Snow fell around them, lightly dusting their coats and gloves. Diana couldn’t help but think how _different_ it was to the last time she’d found Akko on a bench in the snow.

“I love you,” Akko interrupted her by laying her head against her shoulder.

“I love you too.” Diana brought her arm around her.

“Love you more,” Akko murmured against her.

“We’re not doing this.” Diana glared with faux-annoyance.

“Cause you know I’d win.” Akko raised her head to grin at her.

Diana silenced her with a kiss.

“Thanks for this,” Akko whispered into her lips after they separated.

“I should be the one thanking you, today was wonderful,” Diana said.

Akko shook her head, pouting. “No! Let me thank you!”

Diana chuckled softly, making a gesture of holding her lips shut which Akko giggled at.

“It really means a lot to me that you came all the way out here, y’know? And I’ll know you’ll say you loved it, and it really wasn’t anything, but it’s still been so wonderful for me.” Akko closed her eyes. “And yeah, last Wednesday sucked. It sucked a lot. But because you were there, it sucked a whole lot less,” she said, offering her a small smile. “Guess you have a habit of pulling me out of my funk with Last Wednesdays, huh?”

Diana laughed, bright and loud just like Akko’s. So she was thinking of that day too?

“Back then, you turned the worst day in my life into one of my most treasured memories, and I’ll never forget that.” Akko’s hands fidgeted. “And it’s… so relieving to know that I don’t have to always be strong. That if I have a bad day, you’ll be there to catch me.”

“I always will.” Diana pressed a kiss to Akko’s forehead. “Just like I will always believe in that believing heart of yours.”

“Dunno what you mean by that,” Akko said.

Diana looked at her quizzically.

“It’s already yours.”

**Author's Note:**

> You don't have to completely fix something to make things better.
> 
> Dedicated to every person I know who's ever been hurt like this, and to the wonderful people in their lives who comforted them.
> 
> Comments / Reviews appreciated.


End file.
